Cons: Pricey and not compatible with typical cases, so if used with shuffle, you’re locked into an unprotective solution.

Digital Lifestyle Outfitters has been making iPod accessories for years, and has just released a new belt clip specific to the iPod shuffle. It’s a two-piece hard plastic snap-on shuffle clip called the Flip Clip ($19.99).

The Flip Clip binds a rounded hard plastic USB cap to a color-matched back plate that perfectly parallels the iPod shuffle’s shape. The back plate is designed with a hole that entirely exposes the shuffle’s power switch, and a clean, sturdy spring-loaded belt clip in a second color shade. Our sample cap matches the gray ring of the iPod shuffle’s Control Pad, while the belt clip is in a darker gray - an attractive color combination that integrates wonderfully with Apple’s design.

The Flip Clip gives you an easy alternative way to wear the iPod shuffle on your shirt, pants, or bag, and it works really well for those purposes. We liked the quality of the belt clip, which feels very unlikely to break unless you really misuse it, and found the product’s overall appearance far more than acceptable. However, like the other DLO caps, the Flip Clip provides next to no protection, fully exposing all of the shuffle’s sides, top, and front, as well as a part of its back. And unlike them, the Flip Clip’s back plate renders it incompatible with most shuffle cases, so you’ll have to risk scratching your shuffle up when using it.

We were initially unsure as to whether to rate the Flip Clip, but given that we’ve started to receive different variations on the same theme - some bad, some good - we’ve decided that they merit simple ratings. Compared with the other clips we’ve seen so far, the Flip Clip is definitely a good one - easy to use, sturdy, attractive, and mostly practical, if not protective, case-compatible, or cheap. It rates a B+ (recommended).

Editors' Note: iLounge only reviews products in "final" form, but many companies now change their offerings - sometimes several times - after our reviews have been published.
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